Adoption Fees Explained.

Our goal at The Horse Rescue is to be as transparent as possible. On this page, we are going to explain what goes into deciding upon a horse's adoption fee.

Injuries - We look at what type of injuries the horse has had over its racing career. Some horses have minor injuries, while others have career ending injuries. Some injuries are easy fixes, like a torn gluteus muscle and others will take life-long maintenance. If a horse has no injury, its adoption fee will be higher.

Age - We look at age in a couple of ways. If the horse has had many years on the track, its adoption fee will be lower due to the wear and tear on the horse. But if it came off the track at a young age and has put in time training for another career, the adoption fee will be higher. Also, if the horse is younger the adoption fee will be higher.

Personality - All horses have unique personalities. Some are better to handle, while others are more high-strung. We take personality into consideration when setting an adoption fee.

Training, Talent, and Ride-ability - This is the biggest factor when deciding on an adoption fee for the horse. The more training we put into a horse, the higher the adoption fee. If we compete the horse successfully at horse shows, and they are proven at a specific job, the adoption fee increases. We also look at ride-ability. If the horse is not an amateur ride, then the adoption fee will be lower. The horse must be rideable by most amateur riders.

At THR, horses are placed into three groups.

Giveaways - These are the horses with injuries that will limit them throughout their entire lives. They will be good for low-level work and trail riding. We give these horses away to good, qualified homes.

Cover Expenses - These horses are priced between $500 and $3,000. These horses are able to cover all their expenses at THR, including any veterinary work.

Pay for Others - These horses are above $3,000. Through their adoption fee, they are able to provide for the horses in the giveaway group and help with any extra expenses that might happen in the "cover expenses" group.

Every adoption fee goes straight back to THR. Since we are run 100% by volunteers and have no overhead, all the proceeds go directly toward helping the horses.